Before moving to the UAE: clarify residence and work permission

Identify the permission you will enter under and the activity it allows. A visit or tourist visa is not a work permit, and family-sponsored residence does not replace the work authorisation required for employment. Check the relevant immigration and employment authorities; do not start on a promise to regularise matters later.

Independently verify the employer or intermediary, business licence and genuine job offer. For employment regulated by MoHRE, use the ministry’s offer-verification channels; identify the responsible authority for a free-zone role. The job title, pay, workplace and contract terms should match the offer you understood.

If the proposed route involves investment or company formation, establish whether your payment buys services, constitutes a loan or secures ownership. Document the company, permitted activity, later costs and exit terms. Company registration and possible residency are not guarantees of investment returns or permission for every activity.

Build a budget around verified income and realistic housing, insurance, transport, schooling where relevant and waiting-period costs. Plan for your previous employment or tenancy, instalments and family documents as well. Before a major commitment, clarify what happens to the contract and refund if permission is delayed or refused.